Mind Games: Breaking the Magnificent Seven
by westernmelody
Summary: The Magnificent Seven are captured by an enemy determined to break each one by using mental and physical abuse. As evil Maxwell Hollister and his men exploit the weakness of each peacekeeper, all of the Seven must draw from their inner reserves of strength and courage to survive and escape. Old West. Each of the Seven are featured. Buck, JD, Chris, Ezra, Vin, Nathan, Josiah.
1. Chapter 1

"Only one of you is completely safe."

The burly man walked around the chairs in which seven men were tied, thumping the back of each chair rhythmically with a fist. He may have said, "It's going to rain today. The sky is blue," except though his tone was relaxed, the words themselves hinted at a hidden meaning.

The man could afford to be relaxed. Tied helplessly were the so-called Magnificent Seven. Magnificent indeed! It hadn't really been that hard to take them, they had fallen like dominoes, Maxwell Hollister thought maliciously.

It hadn't helped the men that most had been slightly or almost completely drunk, celebrating Buck's birthday after a hard week fighting many bad guys and situations. Heck, everyone was entitled to relaxing, right? But that made all the men easier to subdue.

Maxwell Hollister kept his easy pace around the seven men, boots clumping, jarring their nerves, though all tried not to show any emotion. All seven sat tied hand and feet to chairs around a round table in a dusty cabin filled with musty smells. Cobwebs attested to the cabin rarely being used and rays of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the walls, one illuminating Vin Tanner and the other JD Dunne.

For Chris Larabee, in his ever-present black, the only emotion showing in his face was the fury in his green eyes. Vin Tanner, still a little dazed from a blow to the head, sat silently next to him. Josiah Sanchez, big and powerful, tried to reassure Vin and JD with his eyes, still lamenting that "tying one on" made him careless. Nathan Jackson, sitting across from Vin, kept trying as best he could to assess Vin's condition. Vin, catching Nathan's concerned eyes, smiled tightly and gave a small shrug as if to say he was okay and Nathan's eyes then focused on JD. Ezra Standish, as dandy as ever, looked as cool and unconcerned as the gambler he was.

Buck Wilmington was the peacekeeper squirming the most in discomfort. Buck had been rudely interrupted in the midst of his birthday "celebration" with one Miss Tangy Dalton; was suffering from a world-class headache; and clad only in his red underclothes. The normally easygoing ladies' man looked mad enough to spit fire. Two things were keeping him from exploding – the warning glare in Chris' eyes and the quiet form of surrogate little brother, JD Dunne. JD, the only member of the seven not drunk, was trussed up as it was his capture was the hardest. The slight teenager had fought unexpectedly hard, and his milky white skin sported a bruise on the left side of his face while the long raven hair hung down in his eyes.

"No takers?" Hollister said languidly, still eyeing each man. "Any votes of which one of you should be safe?"

Except for JD, whose bangs hid most of his eyes, the others looked straight ahead. They would give this bastard nothing. Hollister grinned. He expected that, but enjoyed toying with them. Even Buck, though it was hard, did his best not to look at JD; though he wished the boy could be spared whatever was coming.

Hollister expected them to volunteer the boy to be safe. He could feel the protective aura coming from the men every time he paused by JD. He paused again, brushing the kid's bangs back along with his head. "Little young to be riding with Larabee's bunch, aren't you? You ain't nothing but a wet-behind-the-ears pup," he ended contemptuously.

JD jerked slightly, but, to his credit, did not respond. He followed the other's example of silence.

The other six peacekeepers were resolute; each one a man, ready to take a man's fate, though all six wished differently for the smaller teenager.

Hollister let it pass for a moment as he stood by each man. "Larabee. The leader. Head of the snake, the one with the fangs. Good one to take out right? Why would you be spared? Maybe so I can watch you see your men – oh and I forget – a boy suffer in front of you?"

Chris' eyes were full of fire and hate, but he did not speak.

"Tanner. Second in command, best tracker. Taking Tanner out would certainly benefit any of my fellow gangs. Keeping him? Maybe he can accept punishment to himself but what about watching the offers suffer?" Vin remained quiet and watchful.

"Jackson. Healer. Worthwhile profession. Of course the way he keeps looking at the injured ones, it would kill him to see injuries to his friends he could not help with. And taking the healer out would make sure they didn't survive."

Nathan had years of experience remaining quiet under duress. He didn't respond.

"Sanchez. Spiritual healer. Interesting to watch his faith as his friends fall. Would he stay steadfast? And taking him out – no one to offer comfort."

"Standish. Worthless gambler. No reason to let him live – maybe that's why he should?"

Ezra, not used to being silent, had a slight reaction at being considered worthless, but did not speak.

"Course he has a rich Mother – maybe she would pay to keep his worthless hide alive."

Ezra couldn't help it as he drawled, "Suh, your articulation is absolutely redundant; I abhor your lack of refined appearance and malodorous scent."

The other men smiled faintly and Hollister grinned. "Forgot your entertainment value, Standish. Let's see what words you could come up with as your friends suffer."

"Wilmington." The mockery grew in Hollister's voice. "Less competition for women. Larabee losing another close friend. Boy loses his protector. Of course I could take the boy in – show him what a real man can do." Hollister walked around to JD, keeping his eyes on Buck. He caressed JD's cheek softly as he tightened his grip on the boy's chin. "He is awfully cute. Naïve. Innocent." He made the words sound like a curse.

That got the reaction Hollister was wanting. JD's hazel eyes widened as he tried unsuccessfully to squirm out of the man's tight grip. Vin, Nathan and Josiah's faces tightened. Chris's green eyes stared murder and Ezra's nose twitched. Buck, unable to contain it any more, roared, "You keep your filthy hands off that boy or I'll gut you like a fish!"

"Is that how it is, Wilmington? Not like a little brother, you want him all to yourself. And I thought you liked women." He scoffed.

JD shut his eyes and Buck's eyes blazed even harder at the insinuation. Chris stared at Buck as if ordering Buck to keep his cool.

"That boy is the closest I've got to a little brother, and for to suggest anything as filthy as that . . . ." Buck's words couldn't express the proper disgust. JD opened his eyes to take comfort from his surrogate big brother. Buck tried to smile reassuringly at him. Communicating silently. You know I'll take care of you, Kid.

JD nodded slightly.

"Yes, I'll take care of you, pretty boy. Better care of you than the miserable curs you're riding with." Hollister mocked.

JD looked from Buck to Chris' tight face to Josiah's compassionate one. He knew the men would die to keep him from getting hurt. As much as he resented the overprotectiveness in the past, he was grateful for it now. Hollister kept a grip on JD's chin as he smirked at Buck. But he wanted more. He wanted the boy to squirm, break, whimper like the little dark puppy he was. To see the others as they watched their youngest suffer. JD was, he felt, the weak spot in the group. The others were men, willing to accept a man's fate, but JD was a kid, too young to belong with other six and not as hardened by life. It was too early and too easy to go after JD first, Hollister decided.

Hollister abruptly let go of JD's head, again resuming his pace around the seven. "One little peacekeeper, two little peacekeepers, three little peacekeepers," he sang and then abruptly stopped by Josiah's chair and knocked it over sideways. Josiah fell heavily, hitting the right side of his head hard, but uttering not a moan. "What Preacher Man? No cries to your God who has chosen to desert all of you?"

"Josiah," Nathan breathed out before he could stop himself.

"Healer, heal thyself," Hollister mocked and delivered a hard blow to Nathan's right cheek.

Vin opened his mouth, looked at Chris then closed it grimly. If looks could kill, Hollister would have been six feet under.

"Gambler," Hollister stood by Ezra. "Give me the odds for the others; tell me which one has the better chance of being safe."

"I never give odds until all the cards all revealed," Ezra drawled.

"I have a deck," Hollister replied, using the same calm voice as he pulled a deck of cards from his pocket. "Let's gamble. Anyone gets the death card – they die now. Let's start with you, Standish." Hollister shuffled the cards slightly, then laid the top card by Ezra. "Hmmm. Nine of spades. You're safe for now."

One by one, he laid a card by the others, deliberately finishing with JD to prolong the suspense. "Well, well. That wasn't fun. We need to try a new game," as he tore the seven cards up.

He nodded to the massive man standing by the door sporting disheveled brown hair and beard and cruel eyes. The grinning man stepped forward with a whip in his hand: a whip knotted and twisted and with brown stains on it. "Boss, how about we play who screams first? We'll start with ten lashes each and see how tough the Magnificent Six and a Half really are."

Hollister and his men laughed at the joke, pleased at the beads of sweat and the dilated eyes of the youngest member as he stared apprehensively at the whip and the cruel eyes of the man holding it.

"Which one first, Dex? Oldest to youngest? Youngest to oldest? Any volunteers?"

The seven retained their silence, not even looking at the two men, focused inwardly. Dex fumed at the lack of reaction. "Let me have the pup," he said, reaching out to jerk JD to his feet. "I'll have him whimpering after the first blow."

"No!" Buck yelled, thrashing in his chair.

"Buck!" Chris warned, and the other four were grim-faced.

Hollister smiled. "I'll make a deal in honor of our gamblin' man," he said languidly, gesturing for Dex to release JD who reseated the boy with a hard thump. "If one of you volunteers and can endure ten lashes without crying out, we won't whip the boy."

"I'll do it," immediately volunteered five of the six. Ezra kept a poker face. He wanted to think he could take the beating without yelling but was uncertain. And if he cried out, JD would be whipped as well . . .

Dex studied the five men who stared back with challenging eyes; Dex, understanding the men possessed a strong will.

"Pick on the big boys," Buck sneered, trying to get the man's attention off JD.

"I'll take the whipping iffen I get to try some tortures on you and see if you're man enough to take them," Vin ground out.

Chris said nothing, letting a taunting smirk speak for him.

"I volunteer," said a calm, steady voice to Buck's right.

"Nathan, no!" Josiah exclaimed. He knew Nathan's history and that he still bore the scars of whippings in the past and could not bear his friend to relive those. "Pick me," Josiah urged Hollister.

Hollister looked at Dex and shrugged. Dex signaled for Nathan to get up; untied his hands and feet and then retied the hands to two nails protruding from the south wall.

The rest of the men watched in silence but with hatred in their faces for the men hurting their friend and healer. Buck squirmed in fury; Ezra stared straight ahead; Josiah flinched at each blow; and Chris' grim expression promised Hollister he would pay; and JD's long hair hid his face as his head stayed bowed, unable to watch

Dex, smiling gleefully took his time between lashes to lengthen the dread Nathan would feel. Nathan's body jerked each time the whip cut into his back, but he bit his lip and held his cries back although tears formed in his eyes. After ten lashes, a disappointed Dex cut Nathan down and Nathan slumped to the floor, shirt torn and exposed back bleeding. The other peacekeepers were heartsick to see the proud man beaten and in pain. Nathan looked up at Hollister and his eyes were still full of defiance as if saying, you didn't break me. Nathan got up on shaky legs and moved to his chair, stopping by JD and brushing the boy's dark hair, saying softly, "JD, it's okay," and not letting up until JD raised his tear-stained face. Nathan gave him an encouraging pat and slumped forward in his chair, Dex not bothering to tie him back out as Nathan rested his head in his hands. The others murmured words of comfort and encouragement, as well as voicing their admiration for the courage Nathan showed.

"I wouldn't celebrate yet," Hollister reminded them coldly. "We're just getting started."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"We're just getting started," Maxwell Hollister said barely a minute or so after Nathan's beating. He reached in his pocket to pull out the deck of cards, minus seven. He smiled as he addressed Ezra. "How many cards in a deck, Standish? Minus the seven I tore up, of course. What are the odds of the Ace of Spades coming out this time?"

Ezra didn't answer. All of the seven knew the answer. There were forty-five cards left. The Ace of Spades lay as deadly as a black widow in the deck. Hollister started with JD this time and finished with Josiah dealing each card face down. Nathan he skipped, saying, "Mr. Jackson, your bravery will be rewarded - no card for you this time." As he flipped over the cards dealt, six defiant gazes on him, no one had the Death Card appearing in front of them.

Hollister smiled and tore the six cards up. "Dex, we need another game. Let's call this one, Trusting your Best Friend. This game will need two players. Mr. Jackson has already participated in one game so he and his best friend, Mr. Sanchez, will not be chosen. Standish, it seems you are the odd man out; how fortunate for you, you will not take part."

Ezra once again felt the jeer directed at him. Odd man out. He would not give the man the satisfaction of knowing how his words stung and brought out old wounds. He kept his poker face.

"Mr. Wilmington, you are not suitably dressed; so you and the boy will not be chosen. Well, well, that leaves you, Mr. Larabee and Mr. Tanner. Dex, escort Mr. Larabee to the wall. Mr. Larabee, you are to remain perfectly still."

Dex grinned as he jerked Chris none-to-gently to his feet, after cutting the ropes binding Chris' feet to the chair but leaving his hands tied behind his back. Dex then shoved Chris hard against the wall, disappointed at getting no reaction from Chris.

"Mr. Tanner, I sincerely hope you have recovered from your headache and are not seeing double as this requires both precision and nerve."

Vin was hauled to his feet and placed against the far wall. To his surprise, he was given Ezra's derringer.

"One bullet only, Mr. Tanner. As you can see, two of my men are aiming their weapons at Mr. Wilmington. If you try to shoot one of us, he will be shot and killed immediately. I have been told you are the best shot of the group. Your task is to shot a target off Mr. Larabee's head. Miss the shot and Mr. Larabee will be gut shot. A painful death, as I am sure you are aware. What do we have a for a target, Dex?"

"An apple," Dex answered, putting it atop Chris' head.

Vin was staring at Chris in horror. He was still fuzzy not only from the blow to his head, but the drinks he had earlier. To shoot something that small and with a derringer - risk killing his best friend or seeing Buck killed . . .

He heard a whimper and didn't need to look at the others to know it came from JD. JD's nerves were getting more strained with every test and every danger to his friends. He also didn't have to look at them to know Josiah was silently praying for the safety of his friends and for Vin to make the shot. Nathan, he knew, was still hurting from the beating, and Ezra would keep his poker face.

Vin chanced a glance at Buck; Buck was glaring at Hollister.

"One minute, Mr. Tanner."

One minute. Vin looked in Chris' green eyes and felt his hand shaking as it never had before. He couldn't do it.

"Adjust slightly to the left, Mr. Tanner," he heard Ezra's cool voice.

"Thirty seconds, Mr. Tanner."

"You can do it, Vin!" Josiah encouraged.

"You're our best shot, Vin," came softly from JD.

Vin tried to sight the apple as Hollister's voice coldly said, "Ten seconds."

"Tanner!" Chris' voice was like a whip and a command.

Vin took a deep breath, prayed and fired. And then he slumped to his knees, horrified at seeing red splatters. He had killed Chris. He had killed his best friend.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Vin slumped to his feet, tears stinging his eyes at what he had been forced to do. Dimly, he heard other cries of "Chris!" from his fellow peacekeepers. Vin couldn't look up for a minute, then fearfully raised his head, hate and anger filling his heart as he stared at Hollister. Hollister and his men would pay dearly for this. Vin knew he had to keep it together. For Chris. For the other men sitting at the table, one already badly hurt and bleeding.

Chris had slid down the wall, leaving a blood trail, unmoving.

"Take him back to the table, Dex," he heard the cold voice of Hollister commanding.

"Don't touch him!" Vin screamed, and regardless of the other guns pointed at him, he ran to Chris, putting his arms around his friend and leader. "Chris, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Mr. Jackson, you may help get Mr. Larabee back to the table," Hollister said to Nathan, the only other peacekeeper not tied up.

Nathan got up without a moan and went to the right side of Chris, helping Vin carry him back to his seat.

"Vin, you did the best you could," Nathan said softly, heart breaking for both men. Close to the table, Vin and Nathan felt a jolt of electricity as Chris hissed, "Be ready!" and gripped both men at the shoulder while still letting his body hang limply.

Both Vin and Nathan were startled, but sat Chris in his chair without giving anything away. Chris certainly had blood in his hair, especially at the top and back; but Nathan, looking at the wall noticed a nail sticking out and Vin surmised he had creased Chris.

Vin sat down, not wanting to give Hollister any indication that Chris was not gravely wounded, understanding Chris and the others would need the element of surprise to escape.

Ezra's sharp eyes had already noticed the interaction, slight though it was and felt a deep gratitude that Chris seemed only slightly wounded.

Josiah had not opened his eyes since the shot; Buck was squirming and cursing; and JD could only stare at his hero with tears and despair.

Vin aimed a subtle kick at Josiah and when the big man looked at him, gave a slight head shake towards Nathan and Vin then did the same with Buck. Both men stared at him and Nathan, and then at Chris; Vin could only hope they caught on. Dex retied Vin's feet with two of Hollister's men holding guns on Josiah and Ezra to make sure Vin did not try anything. Vin wished he could have alerted JD before his feet were retied; Nathan also couldn't strength forward enough to nudge JD and his grace period of being untied was over as he hands and feet were once again bound to the chair.

After another round with the cards in which Chris was skipped but not Nathan, the Ace of Spades was not drawn and Ezra the relief was short-lived as Hollister tore the six cards increasing the chance the Ace of Spades would be drawn on the next deal.

Maxwell Hollister smiled at the very slight expression of relief each man had at not seeing the so-called death card, but at a signal one of his men approached with a jar. "Hands on the table, gentlemen," he ordered as one by one their ropes were cut again with trained guns on them. "For this little game, you will not move your hands from the table. For ten minutes. Easy, isn't it? A child could do this. Oh, but one little detail, the table will be shared with a couple of my favorite pets. Dex?"

Dex came forward, took the jar to the table, opened the lid and out fell two large scorpions.

"Ten minutes, gentlemen."

Ezra hated scorpions passionately, remembering the pain of being stung by one of the creatures; the memory of the pain and swelling coming back to him.

JD had never seen a desert scorpion, but the size of them made his heart constrict, and he remembered Vin warning him the sting was often fatal.

"Keep perfectly still," Vin warned. "Even if they crawl on you, keep still. Breathe normally."

Chris, the only one not participating as he was still playing possum, inwardly cursed.

Couldn't be this easy, Ezra thought, watching one of the detested insects crawl towards his hand. The other one seemed headed for JD and Ezra caught JD's eyes and tried to keep JD's gaze to reassure him.

"Anyone cries out or jerks their hand away and I shoot the person next to them," Hollister added, confirming Ezra's guess.

The infernal creatures seemed drawn to the ones who detested them the most and one now crawled on JD's left hand while the other inched up Ezra's right.

Ezra's mental focus went inward, reliving a memorable game of poker in San Francisco and a little smile played about his features at the memory.

JD heard a litany in his head, over and over, Don't Move, Don't Move, DON'T MOVE!

"Two more minutes, gentlemen," Hollister informed while his men watched intently.

JD tried to count in his head one hundred and twenty but was acutely conscious of the scorpion seeming more and more enormous as it moved around his hand. Never had a minute passed so slowly.

"Just another minute, JD," Buck encouraged.

JD was breathing too fast, eyes wide and fixed on the scorpion's tail.

Ezra could see every hand, as the fancy dressed man to his left laid down a full house, confident of winning the big pot.

"Thirty seconds," JD heard faintly but the scorpion had entered the cuff of his coat and he braced for the sting he was sure was coming.

Ezra saw the big man, smirking as he laid down his hand, changing into disbelief as Ezra said smoothly, "Four jacks, gentleman, I believe fortune has smiled on me," as he leisurely gathered the large pot.

The large man turned and Ezra felt the sting of a right hook to his cheek, a sting . . . .

"Ten minutes are up, gentlemen," and Ezra flicked the scorpion off his hand as easily as he would deal a deck of cards.

"Nice, Mr. Standish," Hollister approved. "But then, the one on your hand had no stinger," he said as Deke made the point by picking up the scorpion and crushing it in his bare hand.

Ezra looked to JD, whose lips were trembling and his forehead more sweaty.

"Buck," the boy got out before he slumped onto the table.

"Damn you, Hollister! I'll kill you for this! Just come over here and let me and you fight it out! Nathan! Nathan, help him, please, Nathan!" Buck's voice alternated between hate and worry.

"The deadliest of the particular species, found only in Mexico," Hollister said as if reciting a lesson. "The poison is deadly and works within minutes."

"Damn you!" Buck roared. "JD! Hang on, JD, hang on!"

"How touching, Mr. Wilmington, but I doubt your Mr. Jackson has a cure for scorpion stings. I, however, do. Since you want to fight, Mr. Wilmington, you will fight my best fighter. If you best him in, let's five minutes, the boy gets the cure." Hollister made a motion, and a large man stepped inside. As tall as Buck, much heavier, but seeming all muscle, no fat. A large broad face and a cruel smile. The man hit his fists together as if he couldn't wait to pummel Buck.

Vin, Ezra, Josiah and Nathan felt sick. Buck's opponent reminded them of a large bull, snorting and bellowing before charging.

"Mr. Wilmington, meet Axel Poston. In all his fights, he has never been defeated."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"There's a first time for everything," Buck sneered, aching to punish one of their tormentors but his fearful eyes kept returning to JD.

Hollister nodded to one of his men, who cut first Buck's bonds and then JD's ropes. Another men brought a cot into the room and Dex went to lift JD.

"Don't touch him!" Buck roared, knocking Dex down, who glowered and promptly went for his gun.

"Dex!" Hollister's voice cut like a whip. "Poston will punish Mr. Wilmington. Mr. Wilmington, bring the boy over to the cot. Dex, untie Mr. Jackson so he can assist."

Buck lifted JD tenderly in his arms and moved to the cot, but held JD close, not wanting to let him down, despite the mocking sneers of Poston, Dex and the others.

"How touching," Dex mocked.

"Ignore him, Buck, and help me get JD's coat and shirt off so I can see the wound," Nathan advised as Buck stroked the dark hair and murmured, "You'll be okay, little brother, you'll be okay, ole' Buck is right here."

Nathan cursed as he exposed the red bite on JD's forearm and saw JD's arm was already swelling from the poison. The boy's forehead was sweaty, his breathing rapid and he moaned and twitched restlessly.

"Nathan," Buck begged.

Nathan looked over at Hollister, who watched the action dispassionately.

"The boy needs treatment," Nathan said, looking over at Hollister.

"He gets it if Mr. Wilmington beats Axel," Hollister said.

With a final pat on JD's face, Buck roared as he launched at Poston.

Poston had stepped back and took Buck's rage and anger as his fists pounded the big man as easily as a grown man takes the fists of a small child.

"Buck, think!" Vin urged as Buck rained blow after blow on the giant.

Buck was beyond thinking after all the Seven had been put through and Vin, Ezra, and Josiah saw that Axel Poston waited his time. After a minute, Axel began to fight, punching Buck in the face, gut and chest. At first, Buck seemed not to even feel the blows and Vin and Ezra began to feel hope, while Nathan was too preoccupied with JD to watch as the boy's twitching and moaning increased while Nathan was helpless to help him.

Josiah was the one who could see that Poston was only using only part of his strength and he deaded the inevitable outcome.

Three minutes and Buck was doubled over in agony, eyes and face cut up and his belly aching from the blows that became more and more ruthless and frequent. Barely four minutes and Buck was knocked down and did not get up.

"Buck," Ezra yelled. Poulson lifted Buck and dragged him over to where Nathan tended JD, growling "Here's another patient for you, Healer."

Buck began to come to and moaned while Nathan tried to steady him.

"I'll fight you!" Vin yelled. "Let me loose and let's go!"

"Cards first, gentlemen," Hollister said calmly. He then proceeded to lay cards face down in front of Vin, Chris, Ezra and Josiah. "This one is for Mr. Jackson," he said holding up the three of hearts. "This one for the boy, lucky him, four of clubs. No quick death. Maybe not so fortunate. Mr. Wilmington, not that you care at the moment. Ten of diamonds. Now for the four of you." He turned over cards one by one until he got to Ezra. And Ezra was staring at the deadliest of cards. The Ace of Spades.

"Well, Mr. Standish. I know you hate messy. A quick death for you, then."

Ezra could only look up at the horror in his fellow peacekeeper's face.

His luck had run out.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

It seemed only a few seconds passed before Ezra had been untied and prodded to the same wall Chris had stood at when Vin shot the apple from Chris' head.

Two of Hollister's men had guns on the remaining peacekeepers at the table, Chris, Vin and Josiah. Vin and Josiah were both cursing and Vin renewed his efforts to untie the ropes around his hands, knowing time was of the essence to save JD and Ezra. Josiah's fury was barely contained as he saw Chris, bleeding from his head; Vin shaken and angry; Buck, still dazed and bruised and barely conscious of the events taking place; Nathan, stifling his own pain from his wounds as he tried to aid and comfort JD; and the youngest, moaning and thrashing as the pain from his bite increased.

"Gentlemen, I must protest, does not a man facing his doom get a last request?" Ezra drawled, only a small twitch in his right eye betraying his nerves.

"Yes," Vin backed him as if snatching at straws. "A last meal."

"And Ezra is used to the best in food and drink," Josiah seconded.

Maxwell Hollister smiled humorlessly, "Well, we are out of gourmet chefs, Mr. Standish. However, I will allow a last request."

Ezra thought of his flask of brandy and opened his mouth, when Josiah shouted, "He wants a large chew of tobacco!"

Ezra's astonished eyes met Josiah's, who held his gaze.

Nathan's voice joined in, "Yes, Ezra, there is no shame in indulging your favorite habit, though you feel it does not reflect your tastes today."

Ezra looked over to Nathan, who also held his gaze, seeing a faint ray of hope in Nathan's eyes.

Ezra's mouth opened and then closed.

"Very well," and this time Hollister's voice amusement was genuine. "Dex, a large chew of tobacco for our suave Mr. Standish."

Dex took pleasure in stuffing a large chunk in Ezra's mouth and watching Ezra's obvious displeasure in trying to manage the large wad. The spittle seeping out of his mouth soon had the attention of all of Hollister's men, who laughed and jeered at the sight.

Ezra chewed away, trying not to choke and when he slightly opened his mouth, Nathan spoke up, "He needs more."

Ezra's eyes could not get any wider as he stared at the Healer and Dex roared with laughter, stuffing more tobacco in Ezra's unwilling mouth.

"Let me have the pleasure," the black-bearded man asked Hollister impatiently, fingering his gun.

Hollister nodded, and grinning, the large man took aim at Ezra's heart.

Several things happened simultaneously.

"Spit, Ezra, spit!" Nathan yelled suddenly and Ezra did, Nathan catching the wad in his hand. Ezra choked and dropped to the floor.

The gun fired as the bullet headed towards the gambler to fulfill the Ace of Spades.

The table was pushed back as Vin and Chris leaped to take down the two men closest to them.

One of the men got off a bad shot before Josiah body slammed him and Chris wrenched the gun from the other as Vin knocked the man out.

Furious that his first shot missed Ezra, the black-bearded man sighted Ezra and pulled the hammer of his gun back as Chris fired.

Time seemed to stand still until a body hit the floor and did not move.

The Death Card had found a victim.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Dex, still grinning, fell forward, as Chris' bullet found his mark in the villain's black heart.

"That's for Nathan, you bastard!" Chris raged.

"Ez?" Vin queried, still tying the man he knocked out as quickly as possible.

Ezra, still down on his knees, sounded bewildered, "Mr. Tanner, not only have I lost a perfectly good suit to a filthy disgusting wad of refuse, I believe I have been shot."

"Nathan!" Chris yelled. "Nathan, check Ezra. Vin . . ."

"Not so fast, Mr. Larabee," Maxwell Hollister's voice cut in coldly. As Nathan scampered to Ezra, Hollister had pushed the still woozy Buck down and jerked JD to his feet, holding his pistol to JD's head. JD's dark hair covered his face as his head dangled loosely over Hollister's arm. "As you can see, I have the boy and he will die if all of you do not drop your weapons."

Chris cursed silently, there had been too many of Hollister's men for him and Vin to take care of at once, though Josiah, still tied, had used his large frame to body slam Poston and knock the pistol from Poston's hand. Chris was forced to make his move when Ezra was dealt the death car, knowing Ezra would die if he didn't. He had hoped to free Josiah, but had run out of time.

"I still have the winning cards," Hollister reminded Chris as he spotted Axel Poston getting to his feet, shooting a glare at Josiah, who now stood, untied, defiant, but helpless to fight and risk JD's life.

"JD needs the cure," Chris demanded angrily. "Give it to him now."

"Mr. Willington lost the fight . . ."

"BUT I WON'T!"

Poston grinned as he turned his attention towards Josiah, who stood with his eyes glittering with anger.

"You like to gamble, Hollister," Josiah proposed coldly. "If I win - JD gets the cure. If not, I'll take every punishment you gave the others before you kill me."

Hollister frowned but Poston was grinning. "Mr. Hollister, let me do it. I owe him one," he said, rubbing his chin slightly from where he hit the floor when Josiah body-slammed him.

"Sit down, Mr. Larabee; you too, Mr. Tanner. Mr. Jackson, over there as well. Take Mr. Wilmington with you." As the others were seated and the third remaining man from Hollister's group dragged Dex and the other dead outlaw into the corner bedroom, Hollister, sitting on the bunk and still holding fast to JD, said, "Mr. Standish, you can only cheat death for only a little while longer. I'll allow you to witness the fight."

Ezra dragged himself over to the east corner, across from the others. "Allow me to trade places with the boy; I'll be your hostage," Ezra offered.

Hollister smiled slowly. "I think I'll keep the boy; he's easier to handle. Axel, quickly as possible."

Axel Poston, grinning contemptuously , stepped up to Josiah. "Shouldn't take more than a few blows, Max." He then took a boxer's stance, confident of his victory.

Josiah Sanchez first looked over at JD, dark hair covering his face; Ezra, breathing hard and holding his left arm; Nathan, eyes full of concern for all his friends as he met Josiah's; Buck, still blinking and bruised; Vin, face contorted with rage and anger and finally Chris whose green eyes held his gaze unwaveringly.

Josiah smiled slightly, baring his teeth. And then, with a loud roar, he charged. Just like Buck. Poston stepped back, waiting. Just like with Buck.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Axel Poston had no fear of losing, though Josiah Sanchez looked more formidable than any of the other seven. Poston had used Wilmington's anger and fear about JD against him as time and time again, Buck fell into the fighter's trap.

Josiah stopped short of the left hand Poston led with and parried the blow. A gleam of respect shown from Poston; this might not be as easy as he originally thought. Josiah easily blocked the first few blows with his forearms and stepped back, making Poston come to him. Poston threw his deadly left fist out after feinting, but Josiah blocked it and followed with a hard right to Poston's chin.

Poston grunted and stepped back as Josiah waited, tauntingly.

Chris and Vin caught each other's eye, seeing as how every person in the room was following the fight intently. Buck's eyes were beginning to show more signs of alertness as he watched the fight and then cut to the other side of the room where JD still moaned slightly. Ezra also seemed more alert as he stared at Josiah and Poston and then at Chris.

Charge. Feint. Block. Counterblow. A split lip. A hard left that rocked the man's head back. A one-two punch to the ribs and an audible grunt of pain. Deliberately, slowly, Josiah Sanchez drove Axel Poston back.

Ezra, looking at the man, felt his heart pound. Josiah Sanchez seemed a deadly stranger.

Old Testament, Chris thought, jerking his attention back to their precarious situation. Hollister's remaining men and the man himself were drawn to an epic battle, their eyes revealing shock at the thought their man would lose.

Poston was barely standing and Josiah showed no mercy. "For Nathan! Chris! Vin! Buck! Ezra! JD!" he yelled as he rained blow after blow ending with a left to the chest. Axel Poston, stood for a moment and then toppled to the floor. Josiah stood over him, sweaty, bloody, and grim.

Hollister's two men brought their guns around to down the imposing fighter who literally beat their champion to death; Chris and Nathan moved, once again using the table to block the shots and Vin gripped his chair, swiftly bringing it over his head, shattering it on the side of the table and stepping through the ropes. One of men stepped back from the assault and Buck, with a roar, charged him and butted the man's stomach with his head. The man crumbled and Buck kicked away the gun. Nathan found a knife and quickly untied the ropes. Neither Chris nor Vin were gentle as the used the chair legs to knock their opponents out.

Hollister had stood, using JD's body as a shield as he tried to edge to the door.

Ezra blinked, and then as Hollister's progress was halted by Josiah demanding coldly, "Release that boy at once," Ezra reached out and tripped Hollister, sending JD flying across the room along with the gun.

Hollister turned over to spot Ezra close to him. Ezra's attention was drawn to a familiar object near Hollister's hand. Ezra, feeling more than a little vindictive, reached for the card, smiled and then rubbed a little of the chewing tobacco from his mouth on Hollister's face and Hollister howled as some of the juice began to burn his eyes, and Ezra laid the card on his chest, saying, "Ace of Spades, Hollister. You're through."

Several clicks from the guns held by the others and Hollister knew he was beaten.

Josiah picked Hollister up off the floor, growling, "Where is the antidote?"

Hollister, straining as his legs dangled off the floor, gasped, "Pocket!" and Josiah threw Hollister across the room after getting the small bottle.

"Josiah!" Buck took the bottle and gave it to Nathan. Josiah picked up the unconscious boy, putting him back on the cot. "The boy dies, you die," Buck hissed at Hollister.

TBC


	8. Conclusion

In a clear reversal of fortune, Hollister and his two remaining men were bound and gagged in the corner of the cabin while the peacekeepers took stock of their fellow peacekeepers' injuries. Chris and Vin were both suffering from mild concussions and were sitting against the south wall. Buck, bruised, blooded and suffering from cracked ribs was hovering over JD, who remained white and still.

Nathan, hurting from the lashes from the whip, was checking Ezra and despite his pain, stifling a small smile at Ezra's unusual appearance. "Bullet just nicked you," Nathan said with a sigh. He wrapped the wound with a strip of a sheet to help stop the bleeding.

"I need a bath and a drink - not necessarily in that order," Ezra moaned, reaching inside his pocket for his flask of brandy. He tipped the bottle and then looked at Nathan.

"Mr. Jackson, may I?" Ezra asked, holding the flask over. "I admire your courage and I feel you are in need of this more than I."

Nathan smiled and took a drink and then looked over to JD. "Thanks to you, Ezra, JD has a chance. The tobacco may have slowed the poison. Don't know why I didn't think of it before Josiah thought of it. In his travels with his missionary father . . ."

Buck grabbed Nathan's arm, "Nathan," he implored.

Before he could ask, Nathan said quietly, "I don't know, Buck. We've done all we could."

Buck slumped, Ezra slumped and Nathan slumped. Vin and Chris sat wearily, watching. Josiah stood, staring down at Axel Poston.

Six of the seven were suffering from serious injuries. The seventh may have the most devastating wound of all. Josiah started for the door.

"Buck?"

Six pairs of eyes focused on the youngest. The voice was weak, but also the most welcome sound in the room. Buck immediately went to the boy, stroking his hair. "You're going to be fine, JD. Everything's fine."

JD's hazel eyes fixed on Buck and then searched the room for the others. Nathan gave JD some water, Chris and Vin stood beside him and patted his arm; Ezra said warmly, "Glad to see you better, son," and Josiah closed his eyes in prayer, gratitude erasing the anger in his face.

JD gave a small sigh before drifting off.

"Let's get back to town," Chris ordered.

**Conclusion**

Three days later, four weary peacekeepers sat around a table in the saloon. Chris and Vin, who had to take it easy for a couple of days, were enjoying a few beers. Ezra, a bandage on his right arm, was feeling back to normal, his deck of cards by his side. Nathan sat wearily, taking a break. He stretched and then winched from the pain of his scars.

"Still hurting, Nate?" Chris asked in sympathy. "You had the worst time of it - except for JD."

"Buck didn't get off lightly," Nathan said, taking a drink and wiping his mouth.

"Our charming Mr. Wilmington looks like something only a Mother would love. That is, anyone except my Mother," Ezra quipped.

Buck walked in the door, face still a bruised mess, swiped a drink off the table and downed it in one gulp. "Will his fever ever break, Nathan?"

"JD's still got a long road ahead of him," Nathan warned. "But he is going to recover, I'm sure, Buck. Just have patience. You're wearing yourself out hovering."

Buck then snatched Vin's drink and downed it. "Can't relax till the boy's on his feet. Oh, Ez - did I thank you for helping JD? Ruining your fancy clothes and all with that chewing tobacco. Sure did look a sight with those dribbles running down your mouth," and Buck snorted at the memory, spraying Ezra slightly with whiskey.

"You have a most gentile way of expressing your undying gratitude, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra reproved, regardless of the smiles of the others at the memory of Ezra choking on the tobacco.

Josiah rose and joined the table, but remained silent.

"Let it go, brother," Nathan urged. "You saved all of us."

"I killed man in a blind rage," Josiah disagreed.

"You did what you had to do," Chris said, and Vin nodded.

Josiah slumped and the others sighed as their words did not seem to help.

"Josiah?"

"JD!" Josiah said, springing up to help the boy to the table. JD was still flushed and shaking, but he smiled at the others, even at Buck's admonishment of "What are you doing out of bed, Kid?"

"Can I talk to Josiah?" JD asked softly. After a pause, the others stepped out, Chris grabbing Buck to lead him outside.

For a moment, the oldest and youngest looked at each other. JD spoke first. "Buck told me what happened - what you did."

Sorrow flashed in Josiah's eyes.

JD went on, "Remember after Annie . . . what you told me about a boxer? Was . . . were you . . ."

Josiah nodded. "I had a lot of anger, Son. Sometimes when fighting someone . . . I thought about Hannah, and how my father treated her and me . . . and I just hit and hit . . ."

JD's eyes shown with compassion. "But Hollister would have killed all of us and I would have died - Nathan said it was your idea of the tobacco that helped until I got the antidote - so you saved my life, Josiah. And . . . and I want to thank you but say I'm sorry it brought back some of your demons . . ."

"It wasn't just me, Son," Josiah said, reached across to clasp JD's hand. "Hollister put us all through Hell - but he didn't win. He didn't break us."

JD smiled, then put his head down as his strength left. "Back to your room to rest, Kid," Buck said gently as Nathan, Vin and Chris took in the scene, noticing with relief the peaceful expression on Josiah's face.

"Chris, did Hollister say who he would have spared?" JD asked, allowing Buck to support him.

"Nathan," Chris said, then added. "He wanted Nathan to see the rest of us die - knowing he could not save us. The worst torture of all."

"It would have been, worse than the whipping," Nathan muttered softly.

Ezra's entrance, as he was smiling and humming, broke the spell.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Vin inquired. "You have jail duty."

"Ah, yes," Ezra beamed. "And my special deck of cards for Mr. Hollister - let's see him beat the odds of drawing the Ace of Spades." Ezra's gold tooth gleamed as he revealed his secret.

"Ezra, all the cards are the Ace of Spades," Josiah exclaimed.

"Precisely. And I enlisted a couple of young men in acquiring some new pets - all of which have been delivered in jars to the jail. Good day, gentlemen." Ezra touched his hat and then walked off, still humming.

"Chris, did you hear . . ."

"I believe I still am suffering from the concussion," Chris said. "Having trouble hearing."

"Me, too," Vin chimed in, looking at Chris. "Just some buzzing . . ."

"Brother, let me carry the boy, you still have cracked ribs," Josiah said as he reached for to take JD from Buck.

"I'll go with you, Buck," Nathan said. "I'll get JD settled, then I could use some rest myself."

"I'll be at the church, afterwards," Josiah said. It was the first time he would be able to go there since he killed Axel Poston.

After touching their hats, the peacekeepers departed, each trying to figure out how long it would take all to gather in the jail. It was too bad JD would be resting. He would miss all the fun.

THE END


End file.
